Oil gauge wiper



` Nov. 24, 1953 J. KLEIN OIL GAUGE WIPER Filed July e. 1949 JNVENTOR. fla c o b /flez Q Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STATE.

oFFIcs 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to an oil gauge wiper and is concerned primarily with a device of simple construction which greatly facilitates the wiping clean of an oil gauge.

At the present time just about every modern automobile includes an oil gauge which is availed f from time to time to determine whether there is a proper amount of oil in the crank case of the engine. Such an oil gauge consists essentially of a thin blade with a handle at one end and the blade must be wiped clean before the gauge can be used. At the present time it is common practice for service station attendants, mechanics, and others handling the oil gauges to employ rags or waste for the purpose of wip-ing off the gauges. In many'instances, oil splashes off the gauges, and the rags or waste themselves are not only expensive but constitute a severe fire hazard. 1f the attendant places the soiled rags in his pocket to have them available for instant use, he will soil his clothing, but if he lays the rag to one side he loses time in locating it when needed. Taken as a whole, this practice of using rags or waste is highly undesirable and is intended to be improved by this invention. n

' The present invention has in view as its foremost objective the provision of an oil gauge wiper which consists essentially of two complemental pieces of felt that are compressed into a compact mass with a metallic guide which facilitates the entrance of an oil gauge into the felt mass.

More in detail the invention has as an object the provision of an oil gauge wiper of the type indicated, which consists of a piece of felt of appreciable thickness that is folded upon itself to provide two abutting faces. Between these faces, there is interposed a metallic guide which provides a tubular passage adapted to receive an oil gauge.` One or both of the side edges of this guide is open so as to permit the gauge to be removed from the guide and into the felt mass where the latter performs the wiping action as the gauge is withdrawn therefrom. The felt, to-

gether with the guide therein, is compressed within a suitable container having an open top which exposes one end of the tubular guide and one edge of the meeting faces.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention such as arise in connection with carrying out the above noted ideas in a practical embodiment will, in part become apparent, and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

- The invention, therefore, comprises an oil gauge wiper that consists essentially of a container which receives a piece of felt that is folded to provide abutting faces with a tubular guide positioned between the abutting faces and having an open side edge communicating ltherewith.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of an oil gauge wiper designed in accordance with the precepts of this invention;

Figure 2 is an other perspective View developing the several elements of the wiper in exploded relation;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed View in section illustrating the arrangement for spring biasing the cover; and

Figure 4 is a section through the wiper taken on a plane parallel to that of the open top.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the wiper of this invention is shown as comprising three main parts. These are a container that is referred to in its entirety by the reference character C, a piece of felt designated F, and a guide identified as G.

The container C is preferably made from thin sheet metal such as is commonly employed in the making of cans. It comprises a main body portion that is dened by opposed flat walls II) that are spaced apart and joined by curved edge walls II. This main body portion I0 is closed by a bottom at one end, and its upper end such as indicated at I2 is normally open. Hingedly secured to the upper edge of one of the side walls IIJ at the open end` I2 is a cover I3 with the hinged connections being indicated at I4. The cover I3 may carry a peripheral flange l5 that is adapted to overlap the upper edge portions about the open top I2. Coiled around the hinge pintle I4 is a torsion spring III-A arranged and adapted to open the cover I3 when the upper portion of the front wall It) is pressed inwardly to permit the boss Ill-A to disengage the recess IE-A carried by the front wall of peripheral flange I5. The boss IUA and recess IEA cooperate to form a detent.

Because of the foregoing construction, an attendant nds it frequently necessary to press inwardly on the front wall I0 with one hand in order to open the device for instant use.

The felt F is folded upon itself to provide a slit or two portions arranged in face to face abutting relation with respect to each other, and the guide G is positioned in the slit and has an open side edge communicating with the slit; or the 3 guide G may be said to be positioned between the two portions and has one open side edge communicating with the abutting faces of the two portions.

More specifically, the felt F consists of a large 5 piece of a felt sheet that is of appreciable thick-l ness and which is folded to provide two portions I6 and I' that are joined by a bend I8. It will be noted that the portions I6 and I'I are arranged in face to face abuttingrelation with respect to 10 each other. The felt Fwith the `portions I6 and I'I folded together and tightly compressed is received in the container C.

The tubular guide G is positioned in theioldF between the portions I6 and I 'I at the bend I8"'15 and comprises a long strip of metal .havinga-,l concavo-convex formation from en d to end that y is folded at the bend to provide kcomplemental halves '2I and 22 which, when in assembledfre-g lation, present an open mouth as at 23. It will 20 be seenthat ,when the guide G is positionedbef tween the portions I S fand, II of the feltA l5'l there aretwo. pairs of meetingside edges forming slits, one of which opensontotheslit I9j`as indicated at 24a Each ofthe. members 2i and. 22 maybe 25 formed; with afseries of elongated slots 28'.

Operation Whilethe manner.y ofv usingthe oil :gauge .1w-iper, hereinbefore described; isfbelievedy to be obvious 30 from the illustration in the drawing,- and the fdescription ofztheclarts givenfitmay be noted-that anoil" gaugegordinarily; includesgas anf essential element a blade which is covered byfoi'laas shown: at 2S"which mustbe.wiped. clean from 35 theablade if` the. ,indici-a. .-21- is to be vis ible. The blade 25 covered with the oil :Z5 isifinsertedfinto the tubular; guide Gl through the open` mouthi at 23, andi-the Ainsertion .-isfcontinued untiltheentire blade, orfatleast :as .-inuch thereof -as. is\ cov er ed 10 withithe oil, fis-received within-the. .guide The blade is, now- ;mo ved-l later ally,v through theopen side; edge 2li-so that :it is received-between.; the meeting-faces of Athe felt portions I 6 and. I I.-

DuetotheyfeltF being `undera high degreeof compression, the felt is compressed'-.againstfthe` faces .ofi the blade 2 -,randgthe latterI isfnow withdrawn-upwardly so-as to emerge-from .the slit I 9- As.;thisA upwardfmovement takes placejshe o il. 2 l isw-iped-CleanandY-isabsorbed bytheifelt. Some, 5o ofthe oil 26 \may drop-,01T ofthe :blade 25.whi1e the-latteris withirrthetubular guide G.; However; such oil will passA throughl the Openings, 28A and-will become-.absorbed by. the-felt F.

It-:has been-ffoundp that amfelt ,mass,which. is. capablesoffv being f compressedzinto, .agcontainerof convenient size is capable `ofabsorbing a Arelatively :largefamount of oil; From. actualJ testsdtv has :been rfound that. a. wiper havingfa size come parable togthe conventionaltinjmwhich tobaccov eo isfsold and which may readily beY carried Yabout. in aipocket ofanattendant-s uniform haslbeen. used for one -hundred andflftywipings and :the last wiping cleanedtheoiLfrornthe gaugejust as thoroughlyv as the first wthno. apparent. de 65 terioration in, the ability-..of the felt to absorb the oil.

Obviously, when one of, the felts becomes satuf rated, it maybe washed in gasoline or benzine and be insertedin the containerfor use until another cleansingoperation.is, desirable.

While a. preferred specic embodiment of the invention, is hereinbefore set forth, it. is. to be clearly. understood .thatthe invention is vnot '.to be -limitedto theexact. constructions, mecha:

nisms, and devices illustrated and described, because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In an oil gauge wiper, the combination of a container dened by opposed spaced flat walls and curved edge Walls and having a closed bottom and an open top, a piece of felt folded to provide a foldededge engagngzone oisaid curved walls and two portions infface to faceffabutting relation with respect to each other to form a slit between said faces with said slit being disposed between and parallel to said fiat walls, said porktions being compressed Within said container,

andeaftubular guide of oval cross section having an open end located substantially at the open top-of- 'saidcontainer and having meeting side edgessforming a slit communicating with the slit at the abutting faces of,` said portions.

2., In an oil gauge A wiper, thecOmbination of: a. container dened bly opposed spacedy-flat -walls and vcurved edge. wal1s-and having aV closedgbotf tom and an opentop, apieceof.felt .foldedf to provide afolded edge engagingrone ofsaidcurved wallsand .two portions :inA facetov face'abutting relation with respect to each other. to-form -a-slit between saidfaceswith the.: slitbeing between and parallel to saidjilatwalls, saidportionsbeing compressed within saidcontainen and v a tubular.- guide comprising complemental halvesintegrally joined by a bend andwhen assembleddening a passage, ofoval cross section Ahaving anopen, end at said open top, said halves presenting .slits attheir meetingside edges, onebfgwhichcomr. municates. withthe slit at the abuttingfaces of, said portions.

3.V In an oilgauge wiper, the ,combination of a container denedby opposedspaced at walls and curved edge walls' and havingaclosed. bottorn andan open top, a,pie `ce of felt foldedjto provide a folded edge engaging one, ofsaid. curved wallsand two ,portionsin face to face abutting relation Vwith respect to -each other therebyforma ing a slit. between saidfaces :with the slitbeing between and parallel to.v said flatwalls, said vportions being compressed within said containen a tubular guide comprising complemental, halves. integrallyfjoined byha bend and. Whenassembled defining a passage of goval 'cross section having an Vopen end lat saidopen1top said halves, presentingslits at their. meetingside edges, one of which communicates with'the slit. at theabuttingl faces of said portions, and a cover hingedly con?. nected to one of Asaid* fiatwalls'.`

4.l In anoil gauge Wiper-, the .combination of a container having a mainV bodyportion that is closed at one end andloptllat the other, a fe`lt mass substantially lling said container andhav.- ing a slit therein thatY is substantiallymormal 'to the plane ofthe openrendof saidjcontainen a tubular guide positioned in. said slit in said felt mass and having an open mouth 1ocated `sub. stantiallyat said open end, said gude having meetingV side edges forming slits,. one of Whichl communicates with saidfslit in said ,felt mass, a

cover for the open end of said containerhingedly1 mounted thereon, and spring.means normally urging said cover into, an. open position.

5.' Inan oilgauge wiper, theA combination of: a container defined by ,A opposed. spacedsiiatk :walls and curved edge v wallsandl'iaving ,a closedfbot-V tom and an open top, a. piece`of-felt, foldedtoy provide a folded edge engagingonel ofsaidicurved Walls. and two portions. vin vface.. tofaceabutting4 relation with respect to each other to form a slit between and parallel to said flat walls, -said portions being compress'ed within said container, a tubular guide of oval cross section having an open end located substantially at the open top of said container and having meeting side edges forming slits one of which communicates with the slit at the abutting faces of said portions, a cover for the open top of said container, said cover having a. depending peripheral ange adapted to engage the portions of said flat walls adjacent to the open top of said container, hinge means mounting said cover on said container, and torsion spring means associated with said hinge means and normally urging said cover into open position.

6. In an oil gauge wiper, the combination of a container dened by opposed front and rear flat walls and curved edge walls and having a closed bottom and an open top, a piece of felt folded to provide a folded edge engaging one of said curved walls and two portions in face to face abutting relation with respect to each other to form a slit between and parallel to said at walls, said portions being compressed within said container, a tubular guide having an open end 6 located substantially at the open top of said container and having meeting side edges forming slits one of which communicates with the slit at the abutting faces of said portions, a cover for the open top of said container, said cover having a. depending peripheral flange adapted to overlap the portions of the container Walls adjacent to said container open top, hinge means mounting said cover of said rear wall, torsion spring means associated with said hinge means and normally urging said cover into an open position, and cooperating elements of a detent on said front Wall and said ange for maintaining said cover in closed position.

JACOB KLEIN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,652,875 Rein et al Dec. 13, 1927 1,839,026 Gray et al Dec. 29. 1931 2,187,491 Fleckenstine Jan. 16, 1940 2,228,845 Picinich Jan. 14, 1941 2,439,171 Kreider Apr. 6, 1948 2,453,452 Nielsen Nov. 9, 1948 

